Opinion on Rehoming

[~Tucker&Me~]

I check craigslist often and always end up taking a look through the pet section. One thing I have seen a few instances of lately is people looking to rehome their dogs but wanting to still spend time with them frequently. So for example, an ad today said

I am seeking a full time home for [dog's name] where he will receive love, cuddles, walks and the attention he deserves while retaining the right to pick him up some weekends and bring out to my parents cabin, or even just picking him up for walks. I love my dog a great deal but feel he is lacking the attention he needs since my baby was born.

What do you think of this? Would you adopt a dog under these conditions and would you rehome a dog with these requirements if you ever had to?

On one hand, I can sympathize with an owner who has exhausted all other options and feels they must rehome their dog (for this ad I don't think that is the case because they go on to say he is old and arthritic and doesn't need much exercise... ). If I was in that position, I can understand still wanting to be able to visit my dog. On the flip-side though, I wouldn't adopt a dog if the owner wanted to be able to take the dog from me semi-regularly. It would bug me because I know it would be likely that whatever I was doing with the dog (my method of training, a raw diet, etc.) would probably not be applied when he was taken away. Plus, what if she turns out to be crazy or weird or I really don't like how she treats the dog? I want to have control over my dogs and I guess I ultimately would not want to forfeit control regularly because she misses him. Also I would imagine it could get annoying if it happened often because I would have to accommodate her pick up/drop off plans and probably would have to pack food and toys and stuff for him too.

I probably would not have much of an issue with her coming to see him occasionally and on my terms in regards to scheduling, and I am sure I would be fine with sending email and photo updates every once in a while, but I think it's asking a lot to have someone invest emotionally, take over all the work in owning the dog and the financial responsibility but demand to still have regular access at their convenience to the animal.

Thoughts?

 

[Red.Apricot]

I absolutely sympathize, but I would absolutely not be comfortable with that sort of arrangement, particularly with a stranger.

 

[katielou]

Nope.
The dog is either mine or yours.

I am however in talks with a soilder who's wife passed away last year and I will likely be looking after his dog this year while he is deployed but I see that as more of a free long term pet sitting arrangement.

 

[thehoundgirl]

I can also sympathize with the situation, but not sure I'd be comfortable with that situation. Perhaps, they can find a close friend or relative to adopt the dog to and get to do those things.. but a complete stranger no way.

 

[Toller_08]

I wouldn't do it and would never ask anybody to adhere to something like that. It's different if you need a temporary foster home or something, but to rehome a dog and still want privileges that come with dog ownership is silly. I want to visit Spring once and meet her new people, but she is their dog now, and even if I lived closer I would never ask to do anything with her.

 

[Gempress]

I've seen ads like this, and I don't agree at all. Either you can take care of your dog or you can't. I see things like this as saying, "Hey! I don't have the time in my life to tend to my dog's day-to-day needs, but I still want the fun of having a dog. Can somebody else take care of the time-consuming, nitty-gritty stuff and just let me come by when I feel like doing something fun?"

I personally wouldn't even take a dog from someone who wants to do this. I want to have full rights and ownership of MY dog. I don't think it's doing the dog any favors, either.

 

[thehoundgirl]

I personally wouldn't even take a dog from someone who wants to do this. I want to have full rights and ownership of MY dog. I don't think it's doing the dog any favors, either.

Yeah, I agree. It will just make the dog confused why he/she isn't going home with them. I wouldn't agree to the situation, either.

 

[yoko]

I wouldn't. That seems kind of crazy to me.

Also how horrible for the dog would it be to see it's person again, have them take them away, have a lot of fun and then ditch them again? It's a definite no from me.

 

[Freehold]

Yay! Open pet adoption... Sorry, but not something I'd really plan for. However, I have no problem with old owner visits. Just not "taking" the dog for a while. That's just too... worrisome. Guess I have trust issues on this subject - met too many crazies.

 

[Beanie]

Nope.
The dog is either mine or yours.

Either you can take care of your dog or you can't.

Agreed with both of these statements.

If I ever had to rehome one of my dogs, I would definitely ask the new owners if they could send me pictures or updates... but "oh I still have the right to come take the dog with me for a weekend if I want to!" I wouldn't even think of asking that to be honest. It just sounds bizarre. Is this really common?? I don't browse craigslist pets that often, it breaks my heart, so I've never seen it...

 

[Laurelin]

No way. I think that's insane to be honest. Once you rehome a dog, it is no longer your dog.

 

[M&M's Mommy]

I don't think I can do that.. but obviously there are people who can. My co-worker is one of them! When found out I have the 3Ms, she excitedly told me she was, too, a " part time dog-owner"! When I ask her what she meant by that, she said, "Oh, I had a dog, but couln't take care of her, so I gave it to someone... but I came to pick her up every other month for a weekend or so, or during school breaks, so my kids can play with her!". The lady had agreed to the arrangement when she adopted her dog & they have since became friends because of this arrangement!

 

[Southpaw]

Uh, no.

You can take care of the dog or you can't. You don't get to just choose when it's most convenient for you.

 

[Bailey08]

I do have some sympathy. I have rehomed and it's terribly sad and difficult and I can understand some of the feelings behind such a post.

Honestly, though, the trips to the cabin thing bugs me, lol. It's like this person wants the fun stuff, but not the walks in the rain, the vet visits, poop patrol, etc.

And, in any event, it wouldn't work for me. I am very, very choosy about who I trust (away from me) with my dogs.

 

[Aleron]

While it's an unusual arrangement, I can see it working out in the right circumstances. If you have two people who are good dog owners but both alone don't feel they could give the dog needed attention, a "shared ownership" situation could work great for everyone. The dog gets double the attention, exercise, etc and both people get the have a dog. I don't see that as being a lot different in terms of ownership as owners who work long hours and leave their dogs at daycare 12 hours a day or who hire pet sitters to come in and entertain their dog while they are at work. I don't think it would be at all hard on the dog, as dogs tend to be pretty adaptable to new living arrangements. I shared ownership of my first Belgian with her breeder and she lived very differently at my house vs. her breeder's but she liked both of us and did well in both settings.

Of course, all that said I think it would be hard for someone to arrange such a thing with a stranger when rehoming a dog.

 

[~Tucker&Me~]

Of course, all that said I think it would be hard for someone to arrange such a thing with a stranger when rehoming a dog.

I think this is key. In my original post I was referring more to a typical re-home situation where the dog is not going to a good friend or family member but to an acquaintance or stranger. If an arrangement could be worked out with someone I *really* trust (like maybe my trainer, a really good dog-savvy friend or family) than I think that's a very different scenario.

I mean, once in a while my boyfriend takes Spy for walks without me, but I have been dating him for about 4 years, he is very familiar with Spy (and Spy with him), and he is on the same page as me about most dog stuff like diet and training.

But yeah, for the average re-home I think this sort of situation with an acquaintance or stranger would not work out.

 

[SevenSins]

I would agree to certain terms if I'm co-owning a dog from a breeder I've gotten to know and trust. Some random nut on Craigslist? Not a snowball's chance in hell.

 

[Ulteed]

Yeah ... I would not work in that way unless either through getting a dog off a sales or re-home website. I can understand a person wanting to see their dog still, as I know it would be hard to re-home a pet you love, but I think once you make the decision to re-home, that has to be it, they are to stay with their new home.

I would not mind sending updates through e-mail or something though.

 

[Sweet72947]

I've seen an ad or two like this on the CL for my area, and regarding those I agree with what others have said. More commonly I have seen ads seeking long term foster situations for pets. In that situation, I wonder how both parties would legally protect themselves? For the fosterer, what if the person basically abandons the animal, and then suddenly decides to show up and claim the pet? And what if the owner who's pet is being fostered is suddenly claimed by the foster as theirs under false pretenses? I've heard of both things happening to people and the situation can get sticky.

 

[Fran101]

No way. I think that's insane to be honest. Once you rehome a dog, it is no longer your dog.

This ^
I would be very uncomfortable with that kind of situation honestly

You can't rehome a dog, aka: leave somebody else with the responsibility of care, maintenance, training, bills.. and still retain rights to the fun stuff.

While I think it's great that some homes choose to allow visits or send frequent updates.. the key word is ALLOW. I don't think it's right to demand anybody do anything with what is now theirs.

It sounds harsh but that's just the reality in my opinion.. the dog isn't yours..point blank.
So while I sympathise and trust me, I understand WANTING to retain that kind of "semi-ownership" of getting to stop by and make decisions and be part of it all, I don't think it's right to DEMAND it.